Sunday, October 28, 2018

It's official, I am a business woman! I have opened my Etsy Store and have had my first few sales. I know it takes time to develop a following, but I am so excited about this new chapter in my life. I wake up every morning with a new idea in my head for a way to dye yarn or a new color combination. I have ideas for collections and color stories, too.

I love the label and logo that my sister helped me create.

Here are a few of my most recently dyed yarns. I really think they are lovely.

I've started knitting a pair of socks using this Pink Lemonade colrway.

I think it is really fun to find an inspiration photo and then try to re-create it in a yarn colorway. This one is a favorite. I am calling it Serenity.

I hope you will take a peek at my Etsy Store and let me know what you think about it. I'd love it even more if you would make a purchase! For you, my loyal blog followers, I am offering FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING until the end of the year. Just use the code RANDOMTHOUGHTSDOORDI when you place your order. International customers will receive 15% off if you buy 2 or more skeins of yarn using the coupon code INTERNATIONAL15.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Who doesn't love Fall? And a fall quilt is even better; so for my friend, Monika's birthday, I made her a Falling Leaves quilt. The pattern is by Vanessa Christensen. It's actually a kit. Her ombre fabrics are yummy and make these leaves pop on the background of the Robert Kaufman yarn dyed charcoal fabric.

This was the first quilt that I used a stencil to mark some registration lines before I quilted it. Why have I never done this before? Although my quilting is far from perfect, the stencil did help me to quilt it more evenly.

I had the perfect flannel backing in my stash. This Anna Maria Horner cone flower print is a favorite so I am glad I got to use it on this quilt. Monika and her husband have just moved to Idaho, so it will help to make this quilt even cozier on those cold fall and winter nights.

I used the glue basting method to match that print when piecing the back together. I'm quite proud of the result.

When it came time to choose a thread color, I went with all the colors in the quilt, but wish I would have only used one. It was a pain to keep changing threads. My Juki QVP150 is not user friendly when it comes to threading it. I would rather thread a serger than this pain of a machine.

It is bound in the plum colored fabric that came in the kit. I really think it is the perfect color to frame the quilt.

We took the quilt to a few locations in town to photograph it.

I think the quilt looks best in Monika's craft/bonus room, where it is easily accessible to cozy up on the couch while watching a movie.

For the label I made an extra leaf and just wrote my sentiments on it for Monika to remember when and from whom she received this gift.

Friday, October 12, 2018

I'm featured on the My Body Model Blog again. It's so fun to be featured as a knitter. Having only recently discovered my love for this fine handwork craft, I am honored that people find my makes interesting

And speaking of knitting...I have started a new online Etsy store. I have fallen hard for hand dyeing yarn and you can see and hopefully purchase some of my creations.

Thursday, October 11, 2018

I think this is my fifth Stitch Tease Bee finished quilt. Our bee has been together for over 5 years and although some of the members have changed, the talent and generosity in our bee remains constant. Last year I asked the girls to make Great Granny Squared blocks for me. My color scheme was influenced by a Fat Quarter bundle of Enchanted by Camelot Fabrics.

Here is the beautiful quilt , all finished and taken on a photo shoot when we spent a long weekend along the central coast of California last month. We were so lucky to have found this covered bridge in a winery of all places.

My buddy and fellow bee mate, Jennifer of the Knotted Thread, quilted it for me on her long arm machine with a beautiful all over feather motif.

For the binding and backing I used the yellow and plum floral print from the Enchanted line.

I set the blocks on point helping to increase the size of the quilt. It finishes at 85" square.

Thanks to my lovely bee mates I have another quilt to remind me of this beautiful quilting community and the friendships I have made. I am so glad I started this bee. These ladies have become like daughters and sisters to me and I can honestly say I love them all.